Main Library
🏢 Columbus Metropolitan Library — Columbus, Ohio
Main Library
The flagship of the Columbus Metropolitan Library system in downtown Columbus, the Main Library pairs a 1907 Carnegie building with a light-filled 2016 addition overlooking Topiary Park.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM – 9 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM – 6 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM – 6 PM |
| Sunday | 1 PM – 5 PM |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 96 S. Grant Ave, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 645-2275
Website: columbuslibrary.org
📖 About Main Library
The Main Library at 96 S. Grant Ave. anchors the Columbus Metropolitan Library system on the eastern edge of downtown, opposite the Topiary Park. The original Beaux-Arts building opened in 1907 as one of nearly 1,700 libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie, and a large 1991 addition later tripled its space. A $35 million renovation by the Gund Partnership, completed in June 2016, transformed that addition: stone walls and tinted glass gave way to floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls, a three-story atrium, and a reading room that opens toward the park's landscaped grounds. Today the building offers more than 230,000 square feet of space, an auditorium, meeting and study rooms, internationally sourced art, a café, and a genealogy and local-history collection. In 2022, Fodor's Travel named it one of the "11 most beautiful libraries in the United States."
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Original 1907 Carnegie building expanded and reopened after a $35M Gund Partnership renovation in June 2016
- Named to Fodor's Travel's list of the 11 most beautiful libraries in the U.S. (2022)
- Glass reading room and three-story atrium with views of the adjacent Topiary Park
- Genealogy and local-history collection, study rooms, meeting rooms, and an auditorium
- Java's Carnegie's Café on site plus a parking garage at 395 Oak St
📱 Free with a Columbus Metropolitan Library Card
Any Ohio resident can get a CML card free and unlock:
📍 More Columbus Metropolitan Library branches
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Main Library the original Carnegie building?
The core building dates to 1907 and was funded by Andrew Carnegie. It has since been expanded, most recently with the glass-clad 2016 addition designed by the Gund Partnership, so the site combines the historic Beaux-Arts library with modern spaces.
Where can I park at the Main Library downtown?
The library operates a parking garage at 395 Oak St., and paid lot and street parking are also available nearby. The building sits opposite the Topiary Park on the eastern edge of downtown Columbus.
Does the Main Library have a genealogy or local history collection?
Yes. The Main Library houses the system's genealogy and local-history resources, along with study rooms, meeting rooms, and an auditorium used for programs and community events.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
📚 This library has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.